I was a strong advocate and wrote up a mini-essay on why Huntsman Jr. was the ideal VP choice for John McCain, but I suppose choosing another Mormon was a bit too insulting for Romney. The guy seems authentic, can speak about the issues, and has a compelling, modern biography.

Here's JMart's post on the subject, with my bolded emphasis:

He was an early supporter of John McCain and won some initial veep buzz before falling off the radar to run his own breeze of a re-election campaign.

But to chat with him here at the RGA and then see him address a room full of reporters, it seems that Utah Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr may very well be in the presidential mix in 2012.

Huntsman, 48, cuts an impressive figure and has a fascinating personal and political story to tell, including the sort of foreign policy background most governors lack. The scion of a prominent Mormon family, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Singapore for Bush 41 when he was in his early 30s, did trade stints in the Commerce Department and was a Deputy U.S. Trade Representative under the current Bush, overseeing trade with Africa and Asia.Fluent in Mandarin Chinese -- a few words of which he put on display to an unexpectant press corps -- Huntsman is the father of seven, including two adopted girls from China and India.As any Utah governor would be, Huntsman is in line with the GOP base on social issues. But he takes a more centrist tack on the environment, and had some blunt words for his party on an issue he believes is hurting them with younger voters.

"We as Republicans can’t shy away from speaking the word environment and we shouldn’t shy away from speaking the words climate change," Huntsman told reporters at a press conference this afternoon. "When you’ve got a body of science that already is rendering certain judgements about what is happening in our world, for us to shy away, say it doesn’t matter as an issue, I think is foolhardy, it’s short-sighted and it’s bound to do us damage in the longer-term."Huntsman also talked fluently about education, energy and health care, making the case, as many of his fellow governors have, that the GOP needs to come up with practical solutions on such day-to-day concerns.

He said the party must look at the results of last week's election, and make changes to stay relevant."We’re fundamentally staring down a demographic shift that we’ve never seen before in America," Huntsman said.Asked about a potential White House ambitions in a brief interview, Huntsman offered the usual non-denials but conceded he wanted to be part of the GOP's coming conversation about how to rebuild.

"I think most of us are interested in being part of the policy debate that's going to re-energize the party," he said.

Now in his second term, Huntsman said he would not seek re-election in 2012.

Huntsman Jr. would have access to a lot of money from from the Mormon social network. He'd be like a more authentic Romney, more familiar with the Utah machine, but without the immense personal wealth. I'd say that Huntsman would have a very large initial fundraising base before he even gave a single speech.

And he's not running for reelection in '12, so he's clearly eying a run or a potential cabinet spot or retirement.

Also, remember that there are a few electorates in the early primary states, Wyoming, Nevada, and New Hampshire, which are not likely to be particularly anti-Mormon. He'd have a decent shot at Iowa and Florida if his opponents natural electorates were divided between multiple contenders as well. South Carolina would be hard.

Why do you call him "Huntsman Jr." rather than just "Huntsman"? I know his father is a prominent businessman, but only the son is in politics, and it's pretty obvious when you say "Huntsman" with regard to potential 2012 presidential candidates that you're referring to the current governor of Utah, not his father.

I mean, no one calls Barack Obama "Obama Jr.", so why do the same here?

Why do you call him "Huntsman Jr." rather than just "Huntsman"? I know his father is a prominent businessman, but only the son is in politics, and it's pretty obvious when you say "Huntsman" with regard to potential 2012 presidential candidates that you're referring to the current governor of Utah, not his father.

I mean, no one calls Barack Obama "Obama Jr.", so why do the same here?

Why do you call him "Huntsman Jr." rather than just "Huntsman"? I know his father is a prominent businessman, but only the son is in politics, and it's pretty obvious when you say "Huntsman" with regard to potential 2012 presidential candidates that you're referring to the current governor of Utah, not his father.

I mean, no one calls Barack Obama "Obama Jr.", so why do the same here?

That's his formal name. I don't know, I call people by how they like to be called unless I'm being snarky.

Why do you call him "Huntsman Jr." rather than just "Huntsman"? I know his father is a prominent businessman, but only the son is in politics, and it's pretty obvious when you say "Huntsman" with regard to potential 2012 presidential candidates that you're referring to the current governor of Utah, not his father.

I mean, no one calls Barack Obama "Obama Jr.", so why do the same here?

Huntsman Sr. is still alive.

So? No one called our former vice president "Gore Jr.", though his father was alive until 1998.

Why do you call him "Huntsman Jr." rather than just "Huntsman"? I know his father is a prominent businessman, but only the son is in politics, and it's pretty obvious when you say "Huntsman" with regard to potential 2012 presidential candidates that you're referring to the current governor of Utah, not his father.

I mean, no one calls Barack Obama "Obama Jr.", so why do the same here?

That's his formal name. I don't know, I call people by how they like to be called unless I'm being snarky.

Does he really go by that? Do people in Utah actually call him "Governor Huntsman Jr."?

Why do you call him "Huntsman Jr." rather than just "Huntsman"? I know his father is a prominent businessman, but only the son is in politics, and it's pretty obvious when you say "Huntsman" with regard to potential 2012 presidential candidates that you're referring to the current governor of Utah, not his father.

I mean, no one calls Barack Obama "Obama Jr.", so why do the same here?

Huntsman Sr. is still alive.

So? No one called our former vice president "Gore Jr.", though his father was alive until 1998.

Well, the media constantly uses the "Jr." and even the wikipedia entry has it. So, at some level, we have to assume that he prefers the Junior.

Obama's father is dead, so he should not use "Jr." Is Huntsman's father still alive?

EDIT: I see he is and is certainly "man about town" in his own right. So, his son should definitely use "Jr." Can't disrespect Dad.

Yes, though as I said, Al Gore Jr.'s father was alive until 1998, and people still just referred to him as "Gore" when his father was still alive. If Huntsman actually goes by "Huntsman Jr.", then OK, but I was just remarking that it sounds kind of weird to hear <LAST NAME> Jr., when it's pretty clear which member of the family you're talking about without adding the junior. Anyway, I didn't mean to be accusatory against Lunar, it just made no sense to me at the time.

The only similarity between Huntsman and Romney is their religion. Economic credentials are hard to come by and almost no one can offer what Romney can. If the economy is still issue #1 in four years, I'm sticking with Romney.

Obama's father is dead, so he should not use "Jr." Is Huntsman's father still alive?

EDIT: I see he is and is certainly "man about town" in his own right. So, his son should definitely use "Jr." Can't disrespect Dad.

Yes, though as I said, Al Gore Jr.'s father was alive until 1998, and people still just referred to him as "Gore" when his father was still alive. If Huntsman actually goes by "Huntsman Jr.", then OK, but I was just remarking that it sounds kind of weird to hear <LAST NAME> Jr., when it's pretty clear which member of the family you're talking about without adding the junior. Anyway, I didn't mean to be accusatory against Lunar, it just made no sense to me at the time.

When he became "Vice President Gore", that was true. When he was Senator here, the "Jr" was pretty typical.

I don't know much about him, but I like his biography (speaks Chinese fluently + two adopted daughters + seems relatively principled).

He wouldn't win and he might not be the right direction for the GOP right now, but perhaps he could and is. It all depends if he can come up with some resonating non-cultural ideas to challenge an Obama weakness. A Hispanic Bobby Jindal would be ideal.

Romney left a bad taste in the media's and political junkies' collective mouths though, perhaps that might stain the next Mormon Governor's attempt at the presidency?

Whilst this might be true, Huntsman might be the man the GOP needs in 2012, even if they go down in defeat. However, saying this, I wouldn't be surprised if in 2012 he is selected as a running mate for a candidate along the lines of Gingrich.

Huntsman has been one of the leading Republican voices on dealing with climate change, and he was blunt in criticizing elements of his party for ignoring the impact of global warming.

“If we’re going to survive as a party, we need to focus on the environment,” Huntsman said. “There’s a fundamental tone deafness with our party when it comes to the environment. ... The last place we can be as a party is be viewed as the anti-science party. That’s not a model for the future.”

Huntsman said that there’s some resistance in Utah from elements of the party base on his environmental views, but said Western conservatives also “feel deeply about the land and the legacy they’re leaving behind.”

“When you put it in words they understand like clean air, pristine lands, and pure water, they get it,” Huntsman said.

He also was critical of the Bush administration’s foreign policy, and advocated for a more multilateral approach. He attributed the Republicans’ recent political struggles to the lack of an “organizing principle” to drive voters to the party — something the Cold War accomplished for decades.

And he argued the war on terror can’t fill that role.

“The war on terror can’t be the organizing principle of the Republican party,” he said.

Huntsman, who has shown an interest in national politics, said that the future of the Republican party will come from the governorships, but declined to promote any specific names. He punted when asked if he was interested in running for president in 2012, saying he was more interested in promoting ideas over names.

“New ideas will emerge, and then the names will follow,” Huntsman said.

On Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Huntsman only said that “she’ll be in the mix” in 2012, adding that she will have appeal to some social conservatives.

Not going to happen during this ever lasting heatwave which has engulfed the Republican Party. No candidate that cannot survive in this warm climate, for example moderate Republicans (I think they're on the verge of extinction) will ever become king of the kingdom.

Anywho, I wouldn't be surprised if Governor Hunstman runs for the nomination in 2012 and ultimately loses the nomination to a conservative, think former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Nor would I be surprised for that matter, if Governor Huntsman was selected as a running mate for a candidate along the lines of Newt.